For those of you unfamiliar with seitan (pictured to the left, on the right hand side of that stir-fry dish), it is a popular meat substitute made of wheat gluten. Its consistency is chewy without being gummy and very much akin to a chicken breast.

From a nutritional standpoint, it is a great lean protein — very low in fat (2 to 3 grams for a 3 ounce serving), high in protein (18 to 20 grams per serving), and high in iron (25 – 30 % of the daily recommended intake per serving).

Seitan also offers 3 to 4 grams of fiber and approximately 8% of the calcium recommended daily amount in a three ounce serving.

Supermarkets like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s sell it, as do many conventional supermarkets in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Seattle, and Chicago. It is often located near produce, alongside tofu.

The following recipe is not only healthy, I can also say I have served it — with much success! — to people who would scoff at eating meat substitutes.

My only condition was that they had to taste the dish without knowing the ingredients, and tell me their honest opinion.

I’m happy to say that a few minutes later I had a handful of carnivores asking me where they could get “this stuff”!

This meal is extremely heart-healthy — three quarters of its fats are of the monounsaturated kind, the absolute best for cardiovascular health!

That being said, if you are interested in a lower-fat variety containing less calories, only include half an avocado, rather than a whole one. This results in 80 less calories and takes away seven grams of fat (as well as three grams of fiber, so be sure to throw in an extra vegetable like broccoli or shredded carrots to make up for that!)